Motorcycle Review: Testors' Mc Coy with Rotomatic Starter

In terms of design, the test specimen in question is the popular glow plug type with a crankshaft-controlled front inlet, without a flutter valve or other complex shut-off elements.

The platinum glow plug is also designed as a light-metal cylinder head with a compression effect for clean, continuous combustion. Furthermore, the two overflow channels (counterflow design) and the cylinder assembly with proven surface treatment, along with the ball-jointed connecting rod, reveal an engine of world-class caliber. For a 0.8 cm³ glow plug, the Mc Coy’s crankshaft is unusually robustly dimensioned, which—in combination with the solid cast crankcase—seems to be one of the reasons for its well-known durability.

Given all this effort, the simple carburetor—with its continuous jet assembly and lacking any sophistication—seems almost antiquated. With its stiff spring, the otherwise smooth-running, flexible jet needle does little to enhance the rather primitive “throttle mechanism,” despite its finger-friendly angled position. Nevertheless, the McCoy runs excellently and, with a pleasantly rich sound (like a big, rumbling engine with a muffler),

Surprisingly precise regulation! In addition to the crankshaft flywheel, the mass of the Rotomatic starter’s automatic drive disc appears to have a beneficial effect on both static and, in particular, dynamic balance. The starter’s barrel, made of pressed sheet steel, is attached to the crankcase with rivets. The clock-spring-like starter spring—which, of course, does not need to be hooked into the propeller—strangely enough does not break due to the inevitable contact with alcohol. (As is well known, ordinary clock springs snap at even the slightest trace of alcohol.)

Thanks to the Rotomatic starter’s special design, the McCoy features a true thrust bearing in addition to the standard tension bearing! The beefy, virtually indestructible 049-class engine—delivering 0.08 to 0.1 PS depending on the fuel and wing used—is therefore ideally suited for deltas, tail-mounted engines, and custom designs.

Runtime with a single fill of the easily removable, flanged 15 cm³ fuel tank is approximately 5 minutes. During that time, the Mc Coy can tow even larger RC gliders to impressive altitudes. The total weight of this powerful engine, including the tank and the 6 × 4" two-bladed propeller (also included in the package), is only 75 g. The Mc Coy—which runs on virtually anything without complaint—delivers impressive performance even under extreme weather conditions, guaranteed when using genuine Testors X 99 fuel.

By the way: the best thing about this foolproof, mass-produced glow igniter—aside from all its other positive features—is its affordable purchase price, which, thankfully, also applies to replacement parts, such as the glow plug, which doesn’t even need a sealing ring thanks to its precise fit!

And that, one would think, is reason enough on its own to convince even skeptics of the Mc Coy’s production readiness and quality.